Biden narrowly ahead in Florida in new Quinnipiac poll

Joe Biden and President Trump are running neck and neck in Florida, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.

The survey shows the former vice president with a narrow 3-point lead in the Sunshine State with support from 48 percent of likely voters in Florida, while Trump trails with 45 percent. 

Neither candidate enjoys overwhelming favorability in the state, however. Forty-one percent of respondents reported a favorable opinion of Biden compared to 46 percent who view him unfavorably. Trump received similar reviews from Florida voters, with 44 percent saying they view him favorably to 49 percent who view him unfavorably. 

As the nation’s largest swing state, Florida is seen as a particularly big prize by both candidates. Trump won there in 2016 by just over 1 percentage point and his campaign sees it now as a state he can’t afford to lose if he hopes to win another term in the White House.

Trump’s job approval in Florida is underwater, but not by much. Forty-six percent of respondents said they approve of the job he’s doing in office compared to 50 percent who said they disapprove. 

Approval of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic largely mirrors his overall approval, with 46 percent giving him the thumbs up and 51 percent expressing disapproval, according to the Quinnipiac University poll. 

The Quinnipiac University poll was fielded from Aug. 28-Sept. 1 and is based on responses from 1,235 likely voters in Florida. It has a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points.